Making Things for Fun and Profit

Commercially mass-produced jewelry is ubiquitous…

It can be found everywhere from high-end jewelry stores to shopping malls and discount stores. It is obviously popular and preferred by many, but I find it soul-less. It’s just a lot of shiny bling made by machines. I feel it lacks spirit and substance, whereas art jewelry created by hand is imbued with the imagination and passion of the artist making it. Usually one-of-a-kind or produced in limited edition, art jewelry just feels special!

Worn long or wrapped lariat style, I’ve been wearing my latest art jewelry piece constantly since I made it last week in Susan Lenart Kazmer’s class at Bead&Button. I have titled it “Good Juju”. Juju refers specifically to objects, such as amulets, and spells used superstitiously as part of witchcraft in West Africa. The caged element in this necklace holds an Azurite crystal believed to have healing powers and metaphysical properties. A bone bead from West…